Switch



Sept. 8, 19251 1,552,731

L. RADFORD i SWITCH Filed Aug. 51. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 Sept 8, 1925.' v 1,552,731

L. RADFORD SWITCH v Filed Aug. 51, `1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4.5 f FW?" Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

STATES LAWRENCE BADFORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT F COLUMBIA.

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Application led August 31, 1922. Serial No. 585,425.

To all whom t may concern:

l Be it known that I, LAWRENCE RADIORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvenients in Switches; and I do herebyl .declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

rThis invention relates to a new and useful improvement in switches for controlling the -visual signals on automobiles, indicating the proposed change of course or of action. The object of the present invention is to provide a switch which will light the required signal upon movement of the switch and will automatically provide for an audible signal which is operated automatically and is entirely independent of them visual signal so that the latter may be continued a long or short time without effecting in any way the quality of the audible signal;

In the drawings,-

Figure 1 is a general diagram of the various signals connected to the switches.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of one of the switches.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. i

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Y

Figure 5 is a View taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, but looking in a direction opposite from'that in which Fig. 3 is taken.

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7. Figure 7 is a section online 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking toward the` center-line of the switch, i. e., in the direction opposite to that of Fig. 3. l

A base 10 is pro-vided with a casing 11 and is intended to be secured to the spokes 12 of the steering wheel of an automobile, there being two of these switches located on adjacent spokes, one to signal a proposed turn to the right and the other a proposed change to the left. It is the intention to provide manual or automatic signals denoting stop -and back and these may be similar to the switch illustrated, if desired, or may be simplelights without the horn attachment illustrated in the detail views of the switches. 1

The body 1 0 in addition to the head 15 carries perforated lugs or standards 16 and 17 supporting and guiding the moving parts of the switch. The lower standard 17 as best seen in Fig. 4 guides the cylinder 18 and serves as a stop for spring 25, while the top standard 16, in addition to guiding the cylindrical stem 2O of the slide, is threaded as best shown in Fig. 6 to receive theplunger 21 which is snugly received in the bore of the cylinder 18, the plunger 21 in turn slidably receiving the stem 20 within its central bore, these last two. parts, however, not necessarily providing as snug a fit as that which obtains between the plunger 21 and cylinder 18. A spring 25 rests at one end against the lower standard 17 and at the other end engages the head 26 of the cylinder 18 holding the latter normally in contact with the upper standard 16.

Downward movement of the cylinder 18 secured by means of the shaft 28 on which is pivoted a latch 30 forming a yoke having a pair of notched ends 31 engaging radial projections 32 extending diametrically from the head 26 of the cylinder. One of the arms of the latch projects through the standard 16 and is vprovided with4 an inclined surface 33 adapted to strike the inclined pin 34 and to raise the latch .30. against the tension of its spring 36 freeing the cylinder .from thelatch and allowing the former to snap back against theV standard 16. l

The shaft 28 carries a plug 38 adapted to establish electrical connectionv between the terminals V39 which will cause the li ht or other visual signal to be lit. The sha 28 1s returned to normal position by the spring 40 as 'soon as' the thumb-pressed key 41 is released or the key 41 may beheld down as long as` may be desired without effecting the means for sounding the audible signal, the means preferably consisting of a plug 45 carried Iby the cylinder 18 in such a manner as to give it free lateral movement. In the specific embodiment shown l this is accomplished by insulating from the cylinder 18 a smaller holder 46 and by connecting the plug 45 tov one holder by means of a relatively long leaf spring 47 the holder 4 6 being so arranged in the cylinder that it may not turn about the axis of the cylinder, as, for example, by means of the small dowels 49. The vholder 46 is held against' longitudinal movementwith respect to the cylinder by means of the spllt retaining ring which is secured to the end of the cylinder by means of screw 51 or other fastenings.

An electrically conducting jdeflector 53 lies in the path of the plug 45 as best shown in Fig. 5 defiecting the plug first to the top of the figure on downward movement of the cylinder 18 and later to the bottom of the figure on return of the cylinder under action of the spring 25 the plug 45 in such return movement engaging successively the electrically connecting springs 55', contact with each of these springs completing a circuit through the horn and giving as many soun-ds as there are switches. It is preferable to give a single signal when turning to the right and a double signal when turning to the left.

In normal operation of the device vthe driver desires to turn to the left and signilies his intention to the crossing policeman in front of him and simultaneously to the driver behind him by pressing the key 41 of the left hand turn switch which is the one here illustrated,`it having two contacts 55 while the right hand turn switch has but one, the stop signal 3, for example, and the back signal 4. By pressing the key 41 down against vthe head of the casing Contact is made between the terminals 39 and the appropriate lamp 57v is lighted. As the slide is pressed downwardly the cam surface 33 engages the pin 34 raising the latch 30 and allowing the cylinder 18 to return to normal position, carrying with it the horn circuit connecting plug 45 which is deflected outwardly by the Contact piece 53, is then restored in normal position by the leaf spring 47, and is again deflected by the contact member 53 and brought into circuitclosing contact with the contacts 55, sounding them at spaced intervals, depending upon the closeness of fit of the cylinder 18 and the plunger 21, the closer the fit the more delayed the action of the cylinder 18 to allow for escape of the'trapped air which is admitted to the space between the head of the plunger and the bottom of the bore of the cylinder 18 through the openings 59 in the walls of the cylinder. As previously stated, the horn 60 will be sounded as many times as there are contacts' 55.

What I claim is:

1. In a signal system, a plurality of relatively stationary visual signals, an audible signal, means for lighting any one of said visual signals independently of the others, and meanscontrolled by one of said means for sounding said audible signal a number of times and means controlled by another of Said rst mentioned means for sounding said audible signal a different number of times.

3. The syste-m of claim 1 in which the con- .trolled means are each connected to the lighting means by a delayed action mechanism and in which the visual signals are lighted immediately upon operation of the lighting means and the audible signal is not operated until after the visual signal has been lighted.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the controlled means are each connected to the lighting means by a delayed action mechanism and are free to operate after operation of the lighting means and irrespective of the duration of such lighting.

5. In combination a visual signal, an audible signal, a switch, means carried by said switch for lighting said visual signal, a second means carried by said switch, for sounding said audible signal, and means for freeing said second means from said first mentioned means whereby the visual signal may remain lighted for a desired period after and irrespective of the action of the means controlling the audible signal.

6.- The combination of claim 5 in which the audible signal is sounded a number of times at spaced time intervals said time intervals being independent of the speed or duration of action of the means for lighting the visual signal.

7. In a signal system, a plurality of visual signals, an audible signal, an electric switch operating said signals, said switch having a sliding shaft, a plug carried thereby, a terminal in the path of said plug, a sleeve on said shaft, a plug carried by said sleeve, a terminal in the path of said sleeve-carried plug, and means for releasing said sleeve from said plug.

8. The signal system of claim 7 in which the sleeve is tripped free of the shaft upon contact between the shaft plug and its terminal.

9. The signal system of claim 7 `in which the sleeve is tripped free of the shaft upon contact between the shaft plug and its terminal and in which there is an air chamber between the sleeve and the shaft.

10. The signal system of claim 7 in which the sleeve carried plug mounted.

11. The signal system of claim 7 in which thc sleeve carried plug is resiliently mounted and is deflected out of Contact with its terminal on the down stroke of the shaft and is deflected into contact with its terminal on return stroke.

LAWRENCE RADFORD.

is resiliently 

